Mole-trap



E. BILLS.

MOLE TRAP.

(No Model.)

No. 332.133. Patented 1390.8, 1885.

N. PEYERS. Phnm-Lnhagnphcr. wnhmgwn, D. C.

ELIAS BILLS, or MACY, INDIANA.

MOLE-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,133, dated December8, 1885.

Application filed September 22, 1885. Serial No. 177,861. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ELIAs BILLs, a citizen of the United States, residingat Macy, in the county of Miami and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Mole-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of moletraps in which the fatalmechanism is set into operation by the passage of the mole in theground; and the novelty consists in the construction, arrangement, andadaptation of part-s, as Will be more fully hereinafter set forth,andspeciiically pointed out in the claims.

I provide spears or darts which approach the animal from oppositedirections simultaneously, and I provide such holding and trippingmechanism that both these sets of spears are set in motion at the samemoment.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a top plan view.Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, showing both sets of spearsset for use and held by peculiar triggere. Fig. 3 is a transversesection with parts in elevation.

Referring to the drawings, Adesignates the main frame, having shortsupports a, and standards A,withatransverse cross-bar, A. These partsconstitute the frame of the machine. Secured at b to the bars b,arranged transversely near each end of the main frame, are twospring-frames, B and B', which extend in opposite directions past thecenter of the main frame and the standards A thereof. Each spring-framecarries a head, B2, each armed with independent spears b2, curved toincline inward. When in a normal position, these spears interlock witheach other` beneath the center of the machine. Vhen the trap is set,they occupy the position shown in Fig. 2, each being held against itsspring force by a separate trigger. From the top of each spear-head B2extends a loop or hook, b3. The loop b3, which controls the frame B', isengaged over one end of a trigger, G, pivoted at gin the verticalcentral frame, H, the opposite end of said trigger G being engaged in ahook, f, formed in the upper surface of a trigger, F, also pivoted inthe frame II, but extending in a direction contrary to that of thetrigger G. This contrary arrangement not only allows the loop b3, whichcontrols the spring-frame B,to be engaged over its projecting arm f, butthrows its opposite ends within reach of the hook e of a main trigger,E, pivoted in the frame H in a position corresponding to that of thetrigger G.

C designates a frame depending from the cross-head A2, and within thehorizontal plates c and c of this frame work freely the adjustableslides D and D. The slide D has perforated ears d, through which theslide D operates, and a set-screw, d', allows the adjustment of theparts relatively to a disk or plate, D2, below and to the free end ofthetrigger E above.

The free ends of the triggers Fand G being engaged in their respectivenotches, and the free end of the main trigger E being supported by theadjustable slide D D, and the disk D of said slide being allowed to restupon or near the ground over the path of the mole, and the loops b3being engaged over their respective trigger-arms, the trap is set foruse. The power of the frame Bis controlled by the trigger G beingengaged with the trigger F,while the frames B and B are controlled bythe engagement of the trigger F with the trigger E, and the latter withthe slide D. The passing mole raises the disk D2, which action liberatesthe trigger F from its engagement with the hook e by the elevation ofthe free arm of the main trigger E, and both fra-mes B B are instantlyreleased. Their spring force throws the spears into the soil directlybeneath the disk D2 to catch and impale the mole.

The operation will be obvious.

I have described the invention as constituting a mole-trap; but many ofthe important features will be understood to be applicable to othertraps. For instance, the two sets of spears approaching a given pointfrom different directions, and their respective interlockingtriggers,may be applied with advantage to animal-traps of other specificconstructions.

Modifications in various of the details may be made within widelimitswithout departing from the principle or sacrilicing the advantages ofthe invention.

Vhat I claim as new isl. The combination, in an animal-trap, of two setsof spears arranged to approach a ICO given point from differentdirections, and their impelling spring-arms overlapping each other andextending past the center of the main frame in opposite directions tothe spear-heads, 5 with means for holding said arms in a set position, amain trigger, as E, and means for tripping said main trigger, as setforth.

2. The combination, with the springframes B B', their cross-heads B2,spears b2, and loops xo b3, ofthe trigger G, the trigger F, having hookf, the main trigger E, having hook e, and means for tripping the severaltriggers simultaneously, as set forth. p l

3. The mole trap described, having the spring-frames B B, each frameextending past- 15V ELIAS BILLS.

Witnesses: Y

DAVID C. STAR, JOHN BILLS.

